


Hearts and Minds

by sartiebodyshots



Category: Falling Skies
Genre: Between Seasons/Series, First Kiss, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-09
Updated: 2015-03-09
Packaged: 2018-03-17 02:07:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,010
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3511238
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sartiebodyshots/pseuds/sartiebodyshots
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The tunnel is a private place.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Hearts and Minds

            It’s late one night and Tom is walking down the tunnel next to Cochise. 

            “I believe that you will be satisfied by the progress the Volm are making with the weapon,” Cochise says. 

            “You know, I still don’t understand how it actually works.  I’m pretty much trusting you when you say how well things are going,” Tom says, looking over at him.

            “None of your people trust me,” Cochise remarks. 

            Tom shrugs.  “I have a good feeling about you.  And, we need you.  You’ve helped us turn the tide of this war in ways we never could have alone.”

            “Trust out of necessity?” Cochise says.  “Is that real trust?”

            “I trust you on a personal level,” Tom says.  “I trust you as a person.  But that’s different than putting my planet in your hands.  I have to make logical decisions, not decisions based on my personal feelings for you.”

            “Your personal feelings for me?” Cochise asks, inclining his head. 

            “I really like you, Cochise,” Tom says, stopping.  He doesn’t want to reach the end of the tunnel before they’re done with this conversation.  “Not diplomatically.  Like.”  He shrugs.

            “Like there is something else occurring as well?” Cochise asks, stopping as well.  He looks at Tom intensely in the dim dusty light of the tunnel.  “More intense feelings.”

            “Yes!” Tom says, squeezing his arm. 

            “I can tell by the way you keep touching me,” Cochise says.  “You are very forward.  My comrades tease me about it.”

            “Woah, what?” Tom exclaims, withdrawing his hand and crossing his arms.

            “You keep touching my arm,” Cochise says.  “You have been displaying very clear signs of sexual and romantic attraction.  At first I thought it was a cultural custom, but you do not touch most of your other compatriots.” 

            Tom rubs his hand over his face.  He hadn’t actually been trying to hit on Cochise.  “I’m so sorry if I made you uncomfortable.  That’s like… intergalactic workplace harassment.”

            “I thought it was a strange time for flirtation, but I was not uncomfortable.  My comrades believe you are attempting to trade sexual favors for the protection of your people, however,” Cochise says.  “I have assured them that this is not the case.”

            Their new alien allies think he’s a prostitute.  Great. 

            “Thanks, Cochise.”

            “In order to be clear: you were not attempting to convey sexual or romantic interest?” Cochise says. 

            “No!” Tom says.  “I wasn’t.  I mean, I’m interested in you, but that wasn’t me trying to show it.”

            “How would you demonstrate interest?” Cochise asks. 

            “Well,” Tom reaches down and holds Cochise’s hand.  It’s large and warm and Cochise’s skin feels different than human skin, but it’s comfortable.  “In some circumstances, this conveys romantic affection.”

            “Some circumstances?” Cochise asks, holding their intertwined hands up and examining them.

            “Yeah.  Sometimes you hold your kids’ hands or your friends’ hands to comfort them,” Tom explains. 

            “This is an enjoyable feeling,” Cochise says.  He squeezes Tom’s hand gently.

            “It is,” Tom says, trying to keep from grinning too widely.  He had never actually figured he’d ever end up acting on his feelings for Cochise.  The Volm are too important to risk, but it’s okay if Cochise is kind of initiating it, right?  “Normally, this is where I’d invite you out on a date- a romantic get together, but I don’t think there’s anywhere we could go.”

            “You are correct.  This tunnel is the most private place available to us,” Cochise says.  “What would come after the date?”

            “Now, then is when we get to the real expressions of romance,” Tom says.  He nudges Cochise against the wall.  “Do Volm kiss each other?”

            “Kiss?”

            Tom leans up and presses his mouth to Cochise’s.  It’s a strange kind of first kiss.  Usually, there’s the awkward bumping of noses in a first kiss, but Cochise doesn’t have a nose.  What Cochise does have are ridges running along the side of his head that seem to make him shudder when Tom runs gentle, exploratory fingers over them.

            When Tom spreads his hand over Cochise’s lobe, Cochise groans and gently pushes Tom away.  Tom looks up at Cochise in concern, but his face is unreadable.  He carefully withdraws his hand from Cochise’s, worried he may have offended him.

            “Are you alright?” Tom asks after a beat.  “Did I do something wrong?”

            “I enjoyed the kissing,” Cochise says, still sounding breathless, “but spreading your hand like that was very sexually forward.  Inappropriately so, at this stage.”

            “I am so sorry, Cochise,” Tom says, taking a step back.  “I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable.  It’s a very tame action for humans.  Usually more romantic than sexual.”

            “It is alright.  I was simply… startled,” Cochise says.  He takes a step towards Tom and takes his hand.  “Perhaps we should talk before attempting to physically express our mutual attractions in new ways.”

“That’s a really good idea,” Tom says.  “We’ve got different cultures, different bodies.  It’s best not to assume anything.”

“Before we talk…”  Cochise looks at him intensely.  “May I kiss you again?”

            Tom nods.

            Cochise leans down and presses his lips to Tom’s again.  Tom is careful to keep his free hand to himself so he doesn’t make Cochise uncomfortable again.  He lets Cochise control the intensity of the kiss, of when it ends.

            It’s going to be a balancing act, Tom know.  This is hardly the ideal place and time for a romance, and Cochise is hardly the ideal person.  They’re trying to build humanity’s first intergalactic alliance so that way they can win their planet back.  Both Cochise and Tom are leaders among their people, and on top of it, Tom has three sons to raise.

            But Cochise is _good_ and has given him no reason to distrust his intentions.  As long as it doesn’t interfere with their work, a relationship with Cochise can be good, right?

            “Are you alright, Tom Mason?” Cochise asks, squeezing his hand.

            “Yeah,” Tom says, happy smile spreading across his face.  “I’m really looking forward to our next trip to inspect the Volm machinery.”

            “As am I.”


End file.
